


A Little Too Much Like Friendship

by slightlyjillian



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gangsters, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Western, Dancing, Drabble Collection, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Humor, M/M, Slice of Life, Unconventional Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-08-29
Updated: 2010-09-07
Packaged: 2017-10-11 08:17:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/110317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slightlyjillian/pseuds/slightlyjillian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of 20 drabbles in which Relena takes Trowa dancing, Sylvia has a close encounter in a department store, and Wufei has an oddly appropriate pet. Among other things.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by the following meme:
> 
> 1\. _Pick a character, pairing, or fandom you like._  
> 2\. _Turn on your music player and put it on random/shuffle._  
> 3\. _Write a drabble related to each song that plays. You only have the time frame of the song to finish the drabble; you start when the song starts, and stop when it's over. No lingering afterwards!_  
> 4\. _Do ten of these, then post them._
> 
> #10 is indirectly related to the [Numbers](http://archiveofourown.org/series/2161) AU-mafia series.

**1\. "Steig on the Run" -Fringe. Heery/Sally. 1:40**

The footsteps behind him were catching a new rhythm. With that sort of pace, she might pull even with him before he finished the last lap. The sweat along his nose dropped and he could see Sally coming around the side.

"Ha," Heero laughed. "If Une caught us, do you still think this would count as rehab?"

**2\. "Scream" -Chris Cornell. Une/Sylvia 6:14**

The exact moment when Sylvia recognized the woman out of uniform she had to change her opinion about the Lady Une. The sunglasses definitely took away some of the cruel edge that Sylvia remembered from the news broadcasts. And the untidy pony-tail was decidedly more casual than the severe beauty that Une wore at any current political functions.

So the question became, did Sylvia bother to say 'hello'? She ducked behind the display of purses to allow more time to decide. The moment of impulse had passed. Now Sylvia had to overcome the awkward premeditation of it all.

_Hey, we shop at the same stores?_

"Can I help you find anything?"

Sylvia jumped at the unexpected proximity of the store clerk. "No," Sylvia waved her hands. "I'm just looking. I'm fine."

The jangle of the bells at the door sounded. Sylvia instinctively looked to see the image of the Lady walking along the sidewalk on the other side of the glass. The smaller redheaded girl, most likely Mariemaia, followed with a more noticeable spring to her step.

Sylvia sighed. Well that was that then, she thought. One more missed opportunity by thinking too long. Would she ever shake the habit of remaining silent?

**3\. "We Can Have It" -The Dears. Trowa/Wufei 5:42**

"This is yours, Barton." Wufei offered the clown mask with one hand.

"Yes," Trowa accepted. He took a moment to look at the still-brilliant colors and made an expression that might have been a smile.

"How much do you remember?"

"That's a rather personal question," Trowa retorted, raising an eyebrow.

Wufei wasn't sure why he asked. He certainly didn't care about the answer. "Just want to know what sort of shape you're in to be piloting a mobile suit. I don't want you holding us back."

"Ah, I see," Trowa nodded. "That's a smart move."

They were alone in the rec room. Wufei had found the mask on the table and had held it a while until Trowa had walked in the open door. If he hadn't, would Wufei have just put the mask back? Or would he have sought out the other pilot and returned it?

He might never know himself well enough to be sure. But something about Trowa's expression told Wufei that if it happened again--he would. And that irritated him more than anything. It seemed a little too much like friendship. And that was a worse liability than amnesia.

**4\. "Ever Fallen In Love" -Buzzcocks. Zechs/Quatre 3:12**

Noin had left the room and Quatre tried not to watch her with a wistfulness. But whatever expression he made had been enough to make Zechs pointedly clear his throat.

"Thanks for accepting my invitation," Quatre said, scrambling for some exchange with his remaining guest. Why couldn't the man had left at the same time?

"Of course, it looks good in the papers if I'm seen associating with the morally upright Quatre Winner," Zechs said mildly. "But I'm fairly certain that the goal of your invitation had been that I would refuse."

Quatre set down the tea pot without refilling his mug. "Am I that obvious?"

**5\. "Feelgood By Numbers" -The Go! Team. Relena/Trowa 1:56**

He'd been the only pilot who lasted past the first dancing lesson. But oddly enough, Relena didn't mind, because Trowa actually seemed to enjoy the music and learning the steps. When she trampled on _his_ feet, Relena meant to apologize, but Trowa's laughter had overwhelmed her first.

"Cathy used to call _me_ clumsy," he said.

"Who's Cathy?"

"A friend," he shrugged. "Let's try again. Can't have the older generation putting out better moves than our own."

"I'm kind of bad at this," Relena admitted.

"You're getting better."

**6\. "Witchy Poo" -The Heartless Bastards. Dorothy/Cathy 5:20**

The club had a room in the back of the science lab. They sat on old plastic chairs that creaked and cracked. Around them were shelves of forgotten substances, bottles of powder and vials of colored liquid. Everything seemed to sparkle from the floating dust as if they met to practice magic and not to simply get assistance with their chemistry homework.

"I'm pretty sure the teacher said we didn't have to show our work," Catherine grumbled.

"You should do it anyway," Dorothy replied smartly. "Just to be sure you're doing the processes right."

"I wonder if anyone else is going to show up today." Catherine glanced at the door.

"Are you suggesting that my help isn't good enough for you?" Dorothy chuckled. "Or is it that you're expecting someone else?"

"I did ask Duo if he was going to come by the club," Catherine admited. Leaning forward she added in a whisper, "He's pretty good. I saw his marks on the last test."

"Then why would he need to come to club?" retorted Dorothy.

"Extra credit?"

"Pretty girls?" Dorothy set her pencil down. "Cathy, I'm pretty sure he doesn't need the extra credit. And he's not into girls."

"What?" Catherine wrinkled her nose.

"But I am."

"What?" Catherine's brow furrowed.

"Why else do you think I keep showing up?"

**7\. "Ore no Settai ha Kouda" - Axis Powers Paint It White. Dorothy/Wufei 0:32**

"You have a pet what?" Dorothy pulled the covers closer to her neck.

Wufei repeated, "Snake."

"You couldn't have mentioned this before?"

**8\. "Masquerade" -Tal Bachman. Hilde/Sally 3:53**

The park was perfect. Not too crowded along the water and young families played in the grass, tossing frisbees and romping around with their pets.

"Thanks for the ice cream," Hilde said, taking another bite. The girl had obviously not tried to dress up for their outing. Or perhaps she was. Sally still hadn't quite put her finger on what about Hilde drew her attention. Perhaps it was the fashion failure. Hilde didn't pretend to be more or less than she was.

It made Sally want to be honest too.

"I'd like to take you to dinner. If it's not too strange to have dessert first," Sally said, trying to gage the reaction in the other's brilliant blue eyes.

"Oh, why be an adult if you can't have dessert first!" Hilde chuckled easily. "But just to be clear... are you asking me to dinner?"

"I'm asking you on a date." Sally turned away to the sounds of laughing children.

"Sure."

**9\. "Theme" -Fringe. Hilde/Walker 6:13**

Walker pulled aside the curtains just enough to see the snowflakes falling in the glow of the streetlamps. It would accumulate pretty quickly given the recent drop in temperatures. Perhaps the office would cancel and they could have a lie in.

"Hey, Jacob," Hilde rolled over in the bed. "Can't sleep?"

"Bad dream, but I'm fine," he admitted. "It's snowing."

"Maybe we'll have a white Christmas this year," she replied optimistically.

He sat on the bed, but didn't pull under the covers just yet. The memories were too fresh. He didn't want to go back into that dream. Her fingers were cool against his thigh, so he set his warmer hand over top of them.

"I don't know if I'd be able to get along without you," he said. He wasn't sure why he said it. He didn't like burdening her with the problems that wouldn't go away. She shifted so that she could turn her arm. They laced fingers.

War had been terrible. He probably wouldn't forget. But Hilde reminded him that there was a next. A future. He'd gone overseas with that as his hope. He'd reminded others of it. But in the end, he'd forgotten. Until years later, she accidentally rediscovered it for him.

At a noise, Hilde chuckled. "Sorry, darling. It's your turn with the baby."

**10\. "The Light" -A Place To Bury Strangers. Noin/Iria 3:15**

She had a few shots left and the trail of blood indicated that the ones she'd spent hadn't fallen uselessly.

"Come on, Nine," she called out around the corner of the warehouse door. "It's only a matter of time. Wouldn't you rather that it ended quickly? Just tell us where you're hiding him."

The silence was her answer. Iria Winner wondered why she expected anything more from the woman who refused to stop rescuing Six from his mistakes. From his sins against their Number.

She checked the weight of her weapon, and turned to take her first steps into the shadows. In that moment, she felt protected as if righteousness itself had put a shield around her. Nothing had stopped her from cutting justice into the debunk system built by Treize Kushrenada.

"Should have trusted your fists," Noin said, shooting first.


	2. Chapter 2

**1\. faust arp - radiohead *Nichol, 2:09**

Morning seemed different on the colony that it had on Earth. How long had it been since he'd taken a shuttle to space? Nichol grimaced as the passengers in the aisle continued to knock against him. Everyone else on board was a tourist. None of them had clocked time in the simulators. Or piloted a mobile suit. Or taken a life under orders.

"Gosh, I'm sorry it took me so long," Quatre apologized. He squeezed past Nichol's knees to take the open seat. "Thanks for letting me have the window."

"No problem," Nichol said, dismissively. Although making Quatre happy was very satisfactory indeed.

 

**2\. sweet f.a. - lossy collis with ian moore *Wufei, 4:31**

Jogging gave Wufei far too much time to spend alone in his own thoughts. He checked the stats on his wrist. Satisfied with what he saw, he turned back and tried not to let the motion rewind all the doubts and troubles he'd already mulled over on the same path.

Someone leaned against his jeep which was the only vehicle in the parking lot. Wufei detoured to see who it was before they noticed his approach.

"Mariemaia," he grumbled.

Hearing him, she scooted away from the jeep as if caught. "Hey, Wufei," she smiled brightly but it didn't reach her eyes. "I thought I'd visit the new park and was surprised to see your..." she waved her hand toward the vehicle.

"Yeah, well..." Wufei didn't know what to say. She was a very confusing woman. Nineteen now and in her second year at the university. In the unfiltered daylight, she seemed all red-gold locks and long pale legs. He swallowed hard.

"I was going to get some breakfast," she tried again for a conversation. "How about it?"

"Okay," he said, surly so she didn't know how pleased it made him she had stayed.

**3\. a different kind of wonderful - fisher *Sylvia, 3:34**

Somewhere there had to be a rule in which you did not date your friend's ex-boyfriend. She'd seen it in a teen magazine or something. Somewhere there had to be a rule in which you did not fall in love with the person who had murdered your grandfather. Magazines didn't often discuss the matter of dating former terrorists, but Sylvia knew it was public opinion when she caught a cold stare directed at their table.

"How's the espresso?" Heero asked, short and brief. He had never been eloquent or overly expressive with his words. Sylvia remembered not thinking very much of his apology from when they were children either. Nothing in that moment would have indicated she might come to care, and deeply, for the retired soldier.

"It's alright," Sylvia tasted it again briefly as a test. "Not as good as what you make at home."

"Hn," Heero almost smiled.

_No_, Sylvia corrected herself. It was a smile. His smile, and a real one at that.

 

**4\. bestiality - ennio morricone *Iria, 2:58**

She started her day in the lab by greeting the rats. They were test subjects for her sociological experiments and so far they had been running the mazes with amazing accuracy to her hypothesis.

A few moments later, someone knocked at the door, completely startling her from her deep concentration. Clutching her heart as if she'd been attacked and not simply interrupted, Iria Winner turned around to see her father and a young man wearing a rather ridiculous cape.

"Ah, live subjects," the aristocrat commented immediately upon seeing the cages. He was Treize Kushrenada. "I know somewhat about the nuances of that particular variable."

Iria swallowed hard not knowing if she was attracted or repulsed.

**5\. i am the highway - audioslave *Otto, 5:24**

Otto admired the landscape and took a deep breath. This was the Sank Kingdom. This was the place where the Peacecrafts belonged and he would bring Zechs to this place. It had been a troublesome journey getting to this point, but the surprise and delight that slipped into Zechs' tone when he heard their surveillance had produced useful results had been reward enough for the effort.

Except it didn't do anything to resolve the matter of the Tallgeese.

A few of the blokes had pulled together a card game as they waited for the higher ups to made a decision about their strategy. The weather wasn't cooperating. The fresh breeze that Otto enjoyed just then carried the promise of a thunderstorm.

He accepted an empty place at the table and waited for his hand of cards.

"Careful there, boss," one of the boys laughed. "If you've got a good deal, don't make it so obvious."

"Perhaps he's bluffing us with that smile."

"Don't kiss ass, Miller. Place your bets."

Otto knew he'd already lost that game. They knew him well. They knew exactly what he was going to do. And Otto knew what he'd do for the Lightning Count as well. It'd never been in doubt. It was the only thing Zechs would let him do for the man, but to accomplish it Otto would have to play one successful bluff.

**6\. i don't care - apocalyptica *Zechs, 3:43**

When Zechs sat up from the bed, he knew that he'd made a horrible mistake. The light through the window betrayed the lateness of the hour, but they'd gone to bed late and something in that hour had left Zechs strangely vulnerable to the one thing he'd promised himself he would never see through.

His movements had pulled away the sheets and Nichol had flipped to sleep on his stomach. If he hadn't seen the other man, Zechs could almost imagine that Nichol wasn't there and it was one of the hallucinations that he'd had while in the remote sections of space.

Fleetingly, he let his relaxed muscles and content spirit indulge in something like happiness. But quickly enough anger followed. This had been an error in judgment.

**7\. mein gott, oresama saikou - prussia *Treize, 4:10**

"Welcome to OZ, gentlemen," Treize said addressing the room of new recruits. He paused for their ovation and the clapping which Treize had to wonder at behind his smile. They were the ones who had passed the rigorous testing and psychological analysis. He knew each of them by name. Walker who flew the record best in Earth atmosphere. Nichol who had _improved on_ the mobile suit specs _mid-flight_ during his exams. All of them, they were the brightest and the best of the Alliance soldiers, hand selected and fitting a certain profile which matched Treize's objectives.

From the side of the stage platform, Zechs lifted his hand and the young men in new uniforms settled back at their tables. Soon enough the caterers would bring in food and the entire evening would resemble those days in the past when the king would assemble his best warriors in the long hall for a feast--all to celebrate one last time before going into battle.

Treize glanced at his white gloves. Soon enough they would be covered in the blood of these boys. Sacrifices were inevitable. But the war would be glorious.

**8\. sanford and shunned - fringe ost *Sally, 4:00**

She had been in tight spots before, but this time her partner was down and unconscious. The enemy had the exits covered, and her communication device still refused to connect to the satellite.

"Please, anyone... please," she whispered. Then glancing around the corner she saw the shadow of a movement. Flinching back to her hiding place, Sally looked down at the head in her lap. "I'm sorry to have gotten you into this."

Noin didn't reply. Her pale cheeks didn't smile.

"No, I don't suppose it's very funny," Sally confessed. "I wanted to ask you on a date originally, you see. But at the last minute, just looking at you and how unsuspecting you were... it seemed easier to talk about work instead. This stupid mission. I should have listened to Wufei's warning, but with you at my side... anything seemed possible."

A canister clattered against the ground and rolled past her hiding place. Sally recognized the device. She'd signed off for her part on the design only two weeks before. It was from a friendly trying to get an advantage into the fray.

"Maybe we will make it," Sally hoped, pulling two gas masks from her kit.

**9\. endless wire - gordon lightfoot *Alex, 4:05**

The tables closest to the saloon door went silent when they noticed who had just stepped into the otherwise rowdy place of business. He knocked the dust from his boots.

"Hey everyone," Alex said cheerfully. Loud enough that anyone could hear, but not to draw more attention to himself. He hadn't come to cause trouble this time. His lips were parched something terrible and he needed a drink.

"What are you doing here?" Catherine stepped around from topping off a customer's beer.

"I could use something frothy and warm," Alex replied. He looked around for a place to sit.

"You know that's not what I meant," she scolded. "You know I can't serve you here. If Milliardo found out that I'd let you walk in this far..."

"What? You're still listening to that old man?" Alex scoffed. He needed that drink. How to get her to agree?

"He wears the tin," Catherine retorted. "And I've got to stay in business if I'm going to pay for Hilde's wedding this spring."

"Hilde's getting hitched?" Alex hated the sound of regret he couldn't keep from his voice. Another girl he'd fancied had tied the knot and gone out of his reach. Well, not so far out of his reach. More like a delay until she got bored with her man, but Alex hated to wait.

**10\. dance dance dance - lykke li *Walker, 3:40**

"Are you about ready with that toast?" Nichol poked his head into the bathroom stall.

"Nichol!" Philip Walker yelped, squeezing the paper in his hand until it was a crumpled mess. "What are you doing in here?"

"They're all looking for you," Nichol adjusted the tie he'd been forced to wear. "And apparently, I'm the only one with a Walker-locating-radar that works. So come on. You have finished writing it, yes?"

Walker winced. "It's mostly done."

"What?" Nichol chuckled in disbelief. "You've had a full year since your future brother-in-law announced to all of us that he was going to pick you."

Walker groaned, "I don't know why. You're so much closer to him than I am."

"Yes, but I'm only a friend of the groom. You're her brother and he gets more points with the future missus if it's..." Nichol trailed off. "You aren't listening to a word I'm saying. Enough excuses, my friend. And if you don't dance with Hilde at least one time, she will kill you. And now that I've saved your life..." Nichol made a waving motion with his hand. "Let me see what you've got."


End file.
